1 Corinthians

A Life in Letters

Johannes W. H. van der Bijl

• Publisher: Langham Global Library
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9781786414076
• Print ISBN:
  9781786413529
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

In this third installment of A Life in Letters, Rev. Dr. Johannes W. H. van der Bijl opens up Paul's letters in this narrative commentary on 1 Corinthians. With scholarly care and pastoral concern, he invites readers to accompany Paul as he addresses the church in Corinth while they wrestle with the challenging and timeless issues of division, identity, and faithfulness. Resonant with urgency, Paul engages with much-debated concerns in relation to sexual behaviour, the right conduct of men and women in public worship, the use of spiritual gifts and navigating socio-economic tensions in community life – all in the context of how to follow a crucified Messiah in a world obsessed by power and knowledge. With meticulous study of Scripture, historical sources, and archaeological findings, van der Bijl reveals a tangible and personal window into the reality of life in Corinth and how it shaped the experiences of believers. Readers will not find perfect people, but instead find real ones, those struggling, failing, learning, and growing under the guidance of the Spirit of God. This careful work invites us to slow down, listen carefully, and rediscover the pastoral heart of Paul's message to a church very much like our own.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Prologue
• Chapter 1: Arrival in Ephesus
• Chapter 2: Meeting the Corinthian Delegation
• Chapter 3: An Interrupted Beginning
• Chapter 4: Cliques in Corinth
• Chapter 5: Repositioning
• Chapter 6: Redefinitions
• Chapter 7: Building God’s Temple With Care
• Chapter 8: Cultural Compromise
• Chapter 9: Cleansing the Community
• Chapter 10: Practical Principles for Dealing With the Present Crisis
• Chapter 11: Sacred Meat and Starving Brethren
• Chapter 12: Spirituality, Stumbling, and Surrender
• Chapter 13: Be Imitators of Christ
• Chapter 14: Distinction, Discrimination, and Discernment
• Chapter 15: To Love as Jesus Loves
• Chapter 16: The Most Excellent Way
• Chapter 17: Tongues, Prophecy, and Worship
• Chapter 18: The Need for Hope
• Chapter 19: Of Death and Life
• Chapter 20: Future Plans, Final Instructions, and Farewells
• Short Biographies
• Timeline
• Bibliography
• About Langham Partnership
• Endnotes